CVE-2026-31667
HighIn the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: Input: uinput - fix circular locking dependency with ff-core A lockdep circular locking dependency warning can be triggered reproducibly when using a force-feedback gamepad with uinput (for example, playing ELDEN RING under Wine with a Flydigi Vader 5 controller): ff->mutex -> udev->mutex -> input_mutex -> dev->mutex -> ff->mutex The cycle is caused by four lock acquisition paths: 1. ff upload: input_ff_upload() holds ff->mutex and calls uinput_dev_upload_effect() -> uinput_request_submit() -> uinput_request_send(), which acquires udev->mutex. 2. device create: uinput_ioctl_handler() holds udev->mutex and calls uinput_create_device() -> input_register_device(), which acquires input_mutex. 3. device register: input_register_device() holds input_mutex and calls kbd_connect() -> input_register_handle(), which acquires dev->mutex. 4. evdev release: evdev_release() calls input_flush_device() under dev->mutex, which calls input_ff_flush() acquiring ff->mutex. Fix this by introducing a new state_lock spinlock to protect udev->state and udev->dev access in uinput_request_send() instead of acquiring udev->mutex. The function only needs to atomically check device state and queue an input event into the ring buffer via uinput_dev_event() -- both operations are safe under a spinlock (ktime_get_ts64() and wake_up_interruptible() do not sleep). This breaks the ff->mutex -> udev->mutex link since a spinlock is a leaf in the lock ordering and cannot form cycles with mutexes. To keep state transitions visible to uinput_request_send(), protect writes to udev->state in uinput_create_device() and uinput_destroy_device() with the same state_lock spinlock. Additionally, move init_completion(&request->done) from uinput_request_send() to uinput_request_submit() before uinput_request_reserve_slot(). Once the slot is allocated, uinput_flush_requests() may call complete() on it at any time from the destroy path, so the completion must be initialised before the request becomes visible. Lock ordering after the fix: ff->mutex -> state_lock (spinlock, leaf) udev->mutex -> state_lock (spinlock, leaf) udev->mutex -> input_mutex -> dev->mutex -> ff->mutex (no back-edge)
CVSS 3.1 score
7.8
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness type
CWE-667CVE-2026-31667 is a Improper Locking vulnerability
What is Improper Locking?
The product does not properly acquire or release a lock, which can lead to unexpected behaviour. Learn more on MITRE CWE
Affected versions
Linux kernel versions
2.6.19
and later are affected. Fixed in
5.10.253,
5.15.203,
6.1.169,
6.6.135,
6.12.82,
6.18.23,
6.19.13,
7.0
and their respective stable series.
References
The following references provide additional information about CVE-2026-31667 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1534661043c434b81cfde26b97a2fb2460329cf0
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1e09dfbb4f5d20ee111f92325a00f85778a5f328
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PatchKernel patch commithttps://git.kernel.org/stable/c/271ee71a1917b89f6d73ec82dd091c33d92ee617
Frequently asked questions
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What is CVE-2026-31667?
CVE-2026-31667 is a High severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10 , classified as an Improper Locking flaw (CWE-667) . It affects Linux kernel versions from 2.6.19 onward and has been patched in 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.169 and others. CVE-2026-31667 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
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What is the CVSS score for CVE-2026-31667?
CVE-2026-31667 has a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10, rated High severity (CVSS 3.1). The vector string is
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. -
Is there a patch available for CVE-2026-31667?
Yes — CVE-2026-31667 has been patched. Fixed versions include 5.10.253, 5.15.203, 6.1.169 and others. If you are running Linux kernel 2.6.19 or later up to the fix versions, apply the relevant patch for your kernel branch.
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Is CVE-2026-31667 actively exploited?
No — CVE-2026-31667 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.
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What is Improper Locking (CWE-667)?
The product does not properly acquire or release a lock, which can lead to unexpected behaviour. View CWE-667 on MITRE CWE →